The present invention relates generally to a vehicular headlamp. More particularly, the invention relates to a vehicular headlamp having a reflector which is tiltably supported within a lamp housing by an aiming screw and aiming fulcrums, in which a main part is covered with a cover member to thereby prevent foreign matter such as dirt, water or dust from adhering to the main part and to allow foreign matter to be immediately discharged from the cover member.
There has been known a conventional vehicular headlamp having a reflector which is tiltably mounted inside a lamp housing, in which the illumination angle of the headlamp is adjusted by tilting the reflector.
FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view showing an example of a conventional vehicular headlamp of this type in which a reflector b is tiltably supported within a lamp housing e by an aiming screw c and an aiming fulcrum d. The aiming screw c penetrates the lamp housing e and is rotatably supported thereby. The front end of the aiming screw c engages a nut f supported by the reflector b, and the rear end of the aiming screw c, which protrudes from the lamp housing e, is secured to a gear g.
The conventional headlamp also includes an adjustment shaft h rotatably supported by the lamp housing e. A gear i fixed to the rear end of the adjustment shaft h engages the gear g secured to the aiming screw c.
When the adjustment shaft h is rotated, the aiming screw c is rotated through the gear i of the shaft h and the gear g of the screw c, and hence the front end of the aiming screw c is screwed in or out the nut f in accordance with the rotational direction of the screw, so that the reflector b pivotally rotates with respect to the aiming fulcrum d acting as a pivot fulcrum.
However, the conventional headlamp is disadvantageous in that foreign matter such as dirt, water or dust can easily adhere to the engagement portion of the gears g and i because the engagement portion is exposed to the outside. This can impede smooth rotation of the gears g and i.
FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view showing another example of a conventional vehicular headlamp in which the gears g and i are covered with a cover j to partially solve the problem discussed above. Indeed, the provision of the cover j which covers the gears g and i prevents dirt or the like from adhering to the gears g and i. However, if nonetheless some dirt or water enters the cover j, it remains within the cover j where it can impede smooth rotation of the gears g and i. Sometimes in such cases water can even cause the gears to rust.